Hub cap and locking means therefor



Jan. 30,` 1934. c. H. NEHLs l HUB CAP AND LOCKIG MEANS THEREFOR Filed Sept. 18, 1933 1NVENTOR.

v @ka/ fles (7(1 fills BY 4M@ 77 f/z/U l. ATTORNEYS may easily be pried oil by means of a suitable tool, such as a screw drivenwhen the cap is held in place only by such detents. Four detente are shown, arranged in integral pairs and diametrically opposed.

The exposed face of the cap may be sheathed as by means of the sheet metal covering member 60, which may be provided with any desired ornamentation, inscription and/or finish.

My preferred locking means includes a cornbined reinforcing, counterbalancing and lock casing supporting bracket member 52, iitted into and secured inside.the cap body and generally conforming and lying close to the same. The main portion of the member 52 lies flush against the .interior of the rear face of the cap, and is secured thereto in any suitable manner, as by welding, while one extremity thereof is turned inwardly away from the cap, as at 54, to support the lock casing 37, to which it is secured, as by drive screws 5l. lt its other extremity the bracket 52 is expanded in width to generally sectoral contour, and inwardly anged, as at 55. The elongated iange portion lies inside but is slightly spaced from the cylindrical inner rim portion 29 of the cap. lin the space between the bracket flange and the portion 29 of the cap is arranged a segmental combined counterweight and detent member 55, formed of relatively heavy strap metal and preferably rigidly secured, as by welding, to both the flange 55 and the cylindrical cap portion 29. An integral outwardly bent detent lug 57 is adapted to projectthrough a slot 53 in the portion 29 provided for that purpose. The sectoral portion of the bracket 52, and the segmental strip 56, will be seen to be adapted to serve as a counterweight for the diametrically opposed locking means (presently to be described) and these parts are preferably so proportioned as to exactly counterbalance each other, and preserve the balance of the hub cap assembly (at substantially its center).

In the lock casing 37 is arranged a radially movable bolt member 35, projectible through the flange portion 29 in such manner that it may be extended behind and retracted to clear the flange portion 24, and key-operable means manipulatable from outside the cap is also provided for moving the bolt, such as the tumbler lock 14. The bolt is slidable in the casing 37, which may be of die cast or any suitable construction and preferably integrally provided with a sleeve like boss portion 38 adapted to journal and support the lock cylinder 14. `The integral bolt-and-lock casing 37-38 is secured to the bracket and reinforcing member 52, as previously pointed out, and. may be additionally supported within the hub in the manner best shown in Figures 3, Zl and. 7; the portion 37 from which the bolt 35 extends terminating immediately inside the flange 29, and being preferably secured thereto, as by means of drive screws 41. A slot, as 43, is formed in the portion 29 in alignment with the bolt slideway fla in the casing portion 37, to permit sliding movement of the bolt through and beyond the portion 29. The bolt 35 carries a spring abutment, shown as a rivet 45 having an elongated head, between which and the bottom of casing portion 37 is trapped a compression spring 46 which urges the bolt outwardly. The portion of the bolt abutting the rear end of the lock cylinder is also provided with a cam slot 47 Within which is adapted to t the operating member or cam 48 of the lock.

The lock housing portion 38 ,of the integral casing 37m-32 projects into engagement with the iront face of the hub cap body 25 and in alignment with a suitable aperture (undesignated) therein, through which, if desired, such casing portion may extend to abut against the rear face oi. the sheathing member 60. Such aperture in the face of the cap is of course of sufficient size to exposev the front of the lock cylinder to permit convenient manipulation thereof by means of a suitable key (not shown). The details of construction of the lock cylinder, forming no part of this invention, need not be considered in detail. In conjunction with the manner in which the cylinder is retained in the casing portion 28, however, I preferably provide means for releasing the cylinder, from inside the cap, to permit removal of the cylinder when desired, as for replacement or repair. The cylinder retaining means comprises a detent 50 yieldably projected, outwardly beyond the cylindrical exterior of the lock casing by suitable spring means (not shown) and adapted to engage behind the front face of a suitable slot, as 49, in the casing portion 38, in alignment with which slot an aperture, as 59, is formed in the portion 54 of the bracket member, through which aperture the lock retaining member 50 is accessible, so that by forcing it inwardly and clear of the slot 49 the lock cylinder is freed for removal.

It will be seen that in applying the cap, the bolt 35 is retracted to clear the fiange 24, and the diametrically opposed lug 57 is hooked behind the flange, after which it is only necessary to push the cap into place and project the lock bolt 35 behind an opposite portion ofthe ange to firmly lock the cap in place. When the cap is to be removed, the bolt is of course retracted and that side of the cap nearest the lock pried or pulled out rst, after which slight lifting of the cap removes the lug 57 from behind the hub flange 24 and permits complete removal of the cap.

By reason of this novel structure not only is a standard hub cap utilizable as a locking device by means of simple insertable reinforcing and counterbalanced mechanism, but the arrangement is such as to make possible an economical offset arrangement of the locking mechanism, which may project rearwardly farther than the extremity of the axle, thus reducing the height of the cap and saving material and expense, as well as enhancing its appearance.

While it will be apparent that the illustrated embodiments of my invention herein disclosed are well calculated to adequately fulfill the objects and advantages primarily stated, it is to be understood that the invention is susceptible to variation, modification and change within the spirit and scope of the subjoined claims.

What I claim is:

1. In a locking hub cap construction, a dished sheet metal cap member, a combined bracket, bracing and counterbalancing member formed of sheet metal secured inside and lying close to the cap and conforming generally to the configuration of its interior, said member extending generally diametrically of the cap, locking means secured to said bracket at one end, and counterbalancing means for the locking means at the other end of said member.

2. In a locking hub cap construction, a dished sheet metal cap member, a combined bracket, counterbalancing and bracing member formed of sheet metal secured inside and lying close to the interior of the cap and conforming generally to the configuration thereof, said member extending generally diametrically of the cap, locking means secured to said bracket at its one end and including a bolt membe projectible radially from the cap, counterbalancing means for said locking means secured to said member adjacent its other end, and detaining means adapted to cooperate with said locking means carried by the same end of said member as the counterbalancing means, said detaining means being disposed substantially opposite said bolt member.

3. In a lockingr hub cap construction, a dished sheet metal member having a substantially cylindrical inwardly projecting portion adjacent its free edge, and combined locking and counterbalancing means for the cap including a bracket conforming generally to the contour of the in-u terior of the cap and secured inside the say e, and having a iiange portion lying inside an adjacent said cylindrical portion, combined detaining and counterbalancing means abutting said iiange and secured thereto and to said cylindrical por-1 tion, a detent portion projecting from said cylindrical portion appurtenant the flanged end of saidv bracket, a lock casing secured to the other end of said bracket and to said cylindrical portion diametrically opposite said detent portion, and a lock bolt slidably mounted in said lock casing and radially movable to project from said cylindrical portion.

4. In a locking hub cap construction, a dished sheet metal member having'a substantially cylindrical inwardly projecting portion adjacent by its free edge, and combined locking and counterbalancing means for the cap including a bracket conforming generally to the contour of the interior of the cap and lying close to and secured inside the same, a flange portion carried by said bracket adjacent one extremity and lying inside and adjacent said cylindrical portion, said bracket portion extending generally diametrically of but not entirely across the interior of the cap, counterbalancing means axed to said bracket at said flanged end, and a lock bolt casing'afiixed to said bracket at its other end. said lock bolt casing abutting said cylindrical portion at 4its opposite end and having an oiset portion abutting the face of the cap, a lock bolt slidable in the casing and adapted to project from the said cylindrical portion when extended, and means including a lock operable from outside the cap and carried by sheet metal hub cap member having a substantially cylindrical projecting inner iiange portion, locking, countcrbalancing and bracing means for the cap including a sheet metal bracket member generally conforming to the configuration of and lying close to the interior of the cap and rigidly secured inside to and bracing the cap, said bracket extending generally diametrically of the cap but stopping short of said cylindrical portion at one end, locking means arranged inside the cap and secured to said end of the bracket and including a lock bolt projectable .through said cylindrical portion and manipulatable from outside the cap, and counterbalancing means afxed to the other end of the bracket diametrically opposite locking means.

6. A locking hub cap comprising an ordinary dished hub cap, and insertable locking means therefor comprising a lock casing, a combination reinforcing and counterbalancing bracket arranged to support the lockcasing at one extremity, and a counterbalancing strip xed to the other end ofthe bracket, the bracket, lock casing Aand counterbalancing strip being secured to the hub cap when in position.

7. A locking hub cap comprising an ordinary dished hub cap and an insertible locking and counterbalancing assembly, comprising a lockenclosing casing adapted to be secured to the hub cap adjacent its periphery, and a combination supporting and counterbalancing bracket adapted to be secured to the interior of the hub cap and supporting the inner extremity of the locking casing, the. hub cap being provided with apertures tov permit introduction of a key into the lock and 11@ to permit extension of the lock bolt beyond the periphery of the hub cap.

8. A locking hub cap comprising an ordinary dished hub cap and an insertible locking and counterbalancing assembly, comprising a lockenclosing casing having an oiset barrel portion and engaging the inner face of the hub cap at the forward end of the barrel portion and at the outer extremity of the casing, a combination supporting and counterbalancing bracket secured to the inner face of the hub cap and supporting the inner extremity of the lock casing, the hub cap being provided with apertures to permit introduction of a key into said barrel portion and to permit extension of the lock bolt beyond the periphery ofthe hub cap.

f CHARLES H. NEHLS. 

